Compares "Civil Authority" of High Priests to Kings;

(All BIBLIPEDIA from "INSPIRED-INERRANT!" View of Scripture!)

Words "High Priest" in Hebrew, Greek:

"High Priest" in the Hebrew Language is from several related root-words, with MANY different shades of meanings, but SLIGHT variations.

There is NOT one definition that comprehends them all, except, perhaps the general word "leader", or "chief" - as the word Priest was applied to Melchizedek, Moses' father-in-law Jethro, pagan peoples, and those who worshipped idols.

The Hebrew compound words are as follows:

(1) 'ha-kohen',

(2) 'ho hiereus',

(3) 'ha-mashiach',

(4) 'ho christos,

(5) 'ha-gadhol', ha-kohen ha-gadhol.

(6) 'ho megas', (Drr 'mega' here for "great", "big")

(7) 'kohen ha-ro'sh', ha-kohen ha-ro'sh,

(8) 'hegoumenos'

The New Testament Greek is more consistent with 'hiereus' for priest and 'arch-hiereus' is High Priest.

Compares "Civil Authority" of High Priests to Kings;

(All BIBLIPEDIA from "INSPIRED-INERRANT!" View of Scripture!)

HISTORY OF THE HIGH-PRIESTHOOD IN ISRAEL;

In the Old Testament:

Moses was raised in the Palaces of Egypt. Thus Temples with an elaborate ritual, a priesthood, and a high priest were all familiar to him. For a millennium or more before his time these had flourished in Egypt.

Each Egyptian temple had its priest/priests - or priestess/priestesses - with the larger temples and centers having a high priest.

For centuries the high priest of Amon at Thebes in Egypt stood next to the king in power and influence. Many other high-priesthoods of less importance existed.

Scripture tells us that Moses' father-in-law Jethro, was priest of Midian, doubtless the chief or high priest. He was a descendant of Abraham and knew of the God Jehovah. The degree of his wealth, power, pomp and circumstances is not known. He may have officiated from a palace or a tent.

For Moses and the founding of Israel, establishing an ecclesiastical system to take care of ceremonial worship, national Holy Days - with the teaching, implementing and enforcing of Daily Civil Law - nothing would be more natural and proper for him than the priestly system God gave him, with a high priest at the head.

God's Word records a decent account of the institution of the high-priesthood.

Compares "Civil Authority" of High Priests to Kings;

(All BIBLIPEDIA from "INSPIRED-INERRANT!" View of Scripture!)

The High Priest's Family:

Aaron, the brother of Moses, was chosen first to fill the office. He was called "the priest" (ha-kohen) (Exodus 31:10).

As the office was to be hereditary and to be preserved in perpetuity in the family of Aaron (Exodus 29:9,29), he is succeeded by his son Eleazar (Numbers 20:28; Deuteronomy 10:6), and he in turn by his son Phineas (Numbers 25:11).

In his time the succession was fixed (Numbers 25:12,13).

In Leviticus 4:3,5,16; 6:22 he is called "the anointed priest."

Three times in the Pentateuch he is spoken of as "great priest" or "high priest" (Leviticus 21:10; Numbers 35:25, 28).

(All BIBLIPEDIA from "INSPIRED-INERRANT!" View of Scripture!)

The High Priest's Consecration:

The ceremonies by which he was installed in his office are recorded in Exodus 29:29. Seven days of special solemnities were spent.

The first consecration was by Moses; it is not said who performed the others. There was special washing and anointing with oil (Psalms 133:2).

Each new high priest must wear the holy garments, as well as be specially anointed (Leviticus 21:10).

Every day a bullock for a sin offering must be offered for atonement; the altar also must be cleansed, atoned for, and anointed, the high priest offering a sacrifice or 'minchah' for himself (Leviticus 6:24).

High-Priest of Israel:

Authority and Duties of the Office;

Compares "Civil Authority" of High Priests to Kings;

(All BIBLIPEDIA from "INSPIRED-INERRANT!" View of Scripture!)

The High Priest's Garments;

Besides the regularly prescribed dress of the priests, the high priest must wear the (a)robe of the ephod, the (b)ephod, the (c)breastplate and the (d)mitre or head-dress - Turban-like (Leviticus 8:7-9).

The robe of the ephod seems to have been a sleeveless tunic, made of blue, fringed with alternate bells and pomegranates (Exodus 28:31-35; 39:22-26).

The ephod seemed to be a variegated vest of the four colors of the sanctuary, blue, purple, scarlet and fine linen interwoven with gold (Exodus 28:6-8; 39:2-5).

This distinguishing ephod of the high priest was fastened at the shoulders by two clasps of shoham stone, upon each of which was engraved the names of six tribes of Israel (Exodus 28:9-14; 39:6,7).

Over the ephod and upon his breast he wore the breastplate, a four-cornered choshen suspended by little chains. Set in this in four rows were twelve precious stones, having engraved upon them the names of the twelve tribes of Israel.

This breastplate contained a pocket of some kind inside, for in it were deposited the Urim and Thummim, which seemed to be stones - one for yes and one for no, that glowed indicating God's Answer. (Exodus 28:15-30; 39:8-21).

The mitre (turban like) or head-dress was of fine linen, the plate on the front of pure gold, and inscribed upon it the words, "Holy to Yahweh" - Holiness unto the LORD (Exodus 28:36-38; 39:30,31).

When entering the Holy of Holies he must be dressed wholly in linen, but in his ordinary duties in the dress of the priests; only when acting as high priest he must wear his special robes.

The High Priest's Special Regulations:

Amazing to us today with Christ's great emphasis on the HEART and NOT the outward appearance, God required almost physical perfection for the High Priest;

>> He must be free from every bodily defect (Leviticus 21:16-23).

>> He must marry only a virgin of Israel, not a widow, nor a divorced woman, nor a profane one (Leviticus 21:14).

>> He must NOT observe the external signs of mourning for any person, even family; see below;

>> He must NOT not leave the sanctuary when news came of the death of even a father or mother (Leviticus 21:10-12).

>> He must NOT defile himself by contact with any dead body, even father or mother (Leviticus 21:11);

>> He is forbidden to let his hair grow long or rend his clothes as a sign of mourning (that is express no great emotion) (Leviticus 21:10).

>> If he should bring guilt upon the people, he must present a special offering (Leviticus 4:3).

>> Sins affecting the priesthood in general must be expiated by the other priests as well as himself (Numbers 18:1).

>> He must eat nothing that died of itself or was torn by beasts (Leviticus 22:8).

>> He must wash his feet and hands when he went to the tabernacle of the congregation and when he came near to the altar to minister (Exodus 30:19-21).

>> At first Aaron was to burn incense on the golden altar every morning when he dressed the lamps and every evening when he lighted them (Exodus 27:21), but in later times the common priests performed this duty.

>> He must abstain from holy things during his uncleanness (Leviticus 22:1-3), or if he should become leprous (Leviticus 22:4,7).

>> He was to eat the people's meat offering with the common priests in the holy place (Leviticus 6:16).

>> He must assist in judging the leprosy in the human body and garments (Leviticus 13:2-59),

>> He must oversee adjudicating legal questions (Deuteronomy 17:12).

>> When there was no divinely-inspired leader - such as a Judge like Samuel or Prophet like Nathan, the high priest was the chief ruler till the time of David . . .

(All BIBLIPEDIA from "INSPIRED-INERRANT!" View of Scripture!)

II. History of the High-Priesthood in Israel.

1. In the Old Covenant:

***as true Bible Scholars, BIBLIPEDIA accepts the historical records of the Old Covenant as true and rejects the critical views of a fictitious or falsified history.

Such views only have 'subjective reason' to support them and are based upon a naturalistic evolutionary view of the development of Israel's religion.

As Moses was the founder of the high-priesthood in Israel he anticipated a perpetuation of the office throughout the history (Deuteronomy 26:3).

The high priest appears frequently in Hebrew Bible;

> Eleazar officiated with Joshua in the division of the land among the twelve tribes (Joshua 14:1).

> The law of the manslayer shows that he was an important personage in the life of Israel (Joshua 20:6).

> He seemed to have the power to distribute the offices of the priests to those whom he would,

> Poor priests would appeal to him for positions (1 Samuel 2:36).

> The office seems to have remained in the family of Eleazar until the days of Eli, when, because of the wickedness of his sons, the family was destroyed, and the position passed into the family of Ithamar (1 Samuel 2:31-36).

> A descendant of that family officiated at Nob in the times of Saul, whose name was Ahimelech (1 Samuel 21:2; 22:11).

His son, Abiathar, escaped from the slaughter, and later seems to have succeeded his father and to have been chief priest throughout David's reign (1 Samuel 22:20-23; 23:9; 30:7).

Compares "Civil Authority" of High Priests to Kings;

(All BIBLIPEDIA from "INSPIRED-INERRANT!" View of Scripture!)

After King David;

**Zadok seems to have had almost equal privilege with Abiathar the high priest (2 Samuel 8:17; 1 Chronicles 18:16; 24:6) ;

**Abiathar, almost certainly by copyist's error, transposes Abiathar and Ahimelech;

** Mark 2:26 may be based on this reading. See ABIATHAR, etc.).

Because he joined the party of Adonijah, rather than that of Solomon, Abiathar was deposed from the office of High Priest, and banished to Anathoth, where he spent the rest of his days (1 Kings 2:26,27).

**Zadok was put in his place (1 Kings 2:35). He seems to have been a descendant of Eleazar.

**Amariah - Under Jehoshaphat, Amariah was high priest (2 Chronicles 19:11) and was the leading authority in all religious matters.

**Jehoidada -In the time of Queen Athaliah, during the ministry of King Joash, Jehoiada was high priest almost his entire reign, and chief adviser.

Jehoiada seems to have been the most influential man in the kingdom for more than half a century (2 Kings 11:4; 11:2-16; 2 Chronicles 26:20; 31:10);

**Urijah in the reign of Ahaz (2 Kings 16:10-16), and the latter priest seems to have been a friend of Isaiah (Isaiah 8:2).

**Hilkiah held the office in the days of Josiah when the Book of the Law was discovered (2 Kings 22:4; 23:4; 2 Chronicles 34:9); and is in Zephaniah in the time of Jeremiah (Jeremiah 29:25);

**Seraiah in the days of Zedekiah, who was put to death at Riblah by Nebuchadnezzar (2 Kings 25:18; Jeremiah 52:24). At the time, mention is made of a priest of the second rank (2 Kings 23:4; 25:18) and Zephaniah fills that office (Jeremiah 52:24).

It is NOT known with certainty whether this is the same Zephaniah mentioned in Jeremiah 29:25.

This "second priest" was doubtless a deputy, appointed to take the high priest's place in case anything should prevent his performing the duties of the office. Lists of high priests are given in 1 Chronicles 6:1-15; 6:50-53.

(All BIBLIPEDIA from "INSPIRED-INERRANT!" View of Scripture!)

1. Time Babylonian Captivity:

The first of these gives the line from Levi to Jehozadak who was carried away in the captivity under Nebuchadnezzar.

The second traces the line from Aaron to Ahimaaz, and is identical so far with the first list.

There could have been no place for the functions of the high priest during the captivity, but the family line was preserved and Joshua the son of Jehozadak was among those who first returned (Ezra 3:2).

The full functioning of High Priest requires a Temple, which Israel eventually rebuilt, as encouraged by Haggai the Prophet.

Compares "Civil Authority" of High Priests to Kings;

(All BIBLIPEDIA from "INSPIRED-INERRANT!" View of Scripture!)

"Men of the SIGN" - "Sons of Oil":

The prophet also describes Joshua and his friends as "men of the sign," alluding to the coming Messiah under whom the sin of the land was to be taken away in one day (Zechariah 3:9).

The promise is made to Joshua that if he will walk in Yahweh's ways and keep His house, he shall judge Yahweh's house, i.e. Israel, keep His court and have a place to walk among those who stand before Yahweh (Zechariah 3:7).

He is anointed equally with the prince of the royal line, for the two sons of oil (Zechariah 4:14) almost certainly refer to:

Compares "Civil Authority" of High Priests to Kings;

(All BIBLIPEDIA from "INSPIRED-INERRANT!" View of Scripture!)

Priestly Robes:

The Jews had many contentions with the Romans as to who should keep the garments of the high priest. When Jerusalem fell into the hands of the Romans, the robe of state also fell into their hands.

In the time of Christ, Annas and Caiaphas were high priests (Luke 3:2), though, as appears later in the Gospel, Caiaphas alone acted as such. Annas had probably been deposed, yet retained much of his influence among the priestly families.

**These two were also the chief conspirators against Jesus.

As "president" - that is "presiding Elder" of the council - Caiaphas deliberately advised them to put Jesus to death to save the nation (John 11:51).

He was also chairman of the council which tried and condemned Jesus (Matthew 26:57,58,63,65; Mark 14:53,60,61,63; Luke 22:54; John 18:12-14,19,24,28).

They were also leaders in the persecution of the apostles and disciples after Pentecost (Acts 4:6; 5:17,21);

>> His son, Abiathar, sided with Adonijah against Solomon, his family extinguished;

>> Zadok (of Ithamar) took his place;

>> Amariah

>> Jehoiada

>> Urijah

>> Hilkiah

>> Seraiah

>> Then an unknown priest of the second rank (2 Kings 23:4; 25:18)

>> Zephaniah

>> Jehozadak

>> Babylonian Captivity:

>> Jeremiah, a Prophet and priest, led in Captivity;

>> Ezra,

>> Joshua the son of Jehozadak was among first returned

The promise is made to Joshua that if he will walk in Yahweh's ways and keep His house, he shall judge Yahweh's house, i.e. Israel, keep His court and have a place to walk among those who stand before Yahweh (Zechariah 3:7).

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